The most Beautiful time of year

OOh Christmas time how I love you! It is my most absolute favorite time of year. This year we went to the Mesa Arizona temple lights with our friends Crystal and Max (perks of PT school :) !). Kala really started to enjoy them this year. He thought that the lights were so cool and was sooo excited about it all. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to feel the sweet spirit on the temple grounds particularly around the holidays. I am so grateful for the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

I have the best family. Whew! Look at those boys!

Picnic at the Park

Kala LOVES the park to say the least. So we decided to try a little picnic one day and we had  BLAST. Then... all of a sudden Kal got down from the table and ran over to the tree, started unbuttoning his pants when i say "WHOA WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" As I start running over to him. Then he starts moving as fast as he possibly can as he proceeds to tell me he needs to pee and proceeds to pee on a tree before I can even reach him. WHOSE KID IS THIS! lol. Needless to say, Kaulana was very proud when I told him, I was thankful that the little girl who was playing at the park had left, and we both are so impressed that he just KNEW that, that is what boys do. bahaha. I love this kid. He has the most fun, off color personality and I love (almost) every minute of it!

Four... or wait Five months. I'm such a bad mom.

So once again it's over a month since I got Benson's stats and I have yet to post. Yes mother of the year goes to this one right here!

At four months:

Weight : 15 pounds 10 ounces - 70 percentile

Head Circumference : 41.4 cm - 25th percentile

and this is the whammy... drum roll please

Height : 27.5 inches - ABOVE 97 percentile. Whose Kid is this?? 

He is just so tall. He is just the happiest thing that ever existed. As long as he's moving. Being in one place too long, is a big NO NO! 

Benson at five months:

-rolls from his back to his stomach. ALL THE TIME.

-rolls from his stomach to his back. accasionally. But I think it scares him a bit.

-Loves, loves, loves toys. He loves to keep his hands busy. He tries to figure out how to manuever himself to get to the toy he wants. He could have cared less about toys until christmas morning. It's like grandma and grandpa akina's toys TRANSFORMED HIM! He just flipped that morning and couldn't get enough of his new toys. 

- When he is on his stomach he lifts his arms and legs and starts kicking quite vigorously convinced he will start moving to get to the object he wants. He then pauses, uses his arms to push himself up and look around, trying to figure out why the heck he did move. Then repeats it all over again. It's hilarious.

-He LOVES to talk. mostly just when we are at home. When lots of people are around he just loves to be in the center and watch. His little voice is much deeper than kala's and a bit raspy. Oh it melts my heart. I love it.

-He is so ticklish. It is just so cute.

- Five and a half months (the week we got home from hawaii) He decided to stop sleeping. He was waking up every two hours during the night and barely sleeping during the day. At first I thought he was having a hard time transitioning back from the time change. But then it just... kept. going. So I decided to try to feed him some rice cereal. I only made a small amount to see if he would actually eat it and... he LOVED it. He was literally grabbing my hand to pull the spoon to his mouth. He started crying when I went to make more because he wanted more NOW. I usually can't get the food to his mouth fast enough. He has now tried rice cereal and green beans. So far. so good. He's a fat boy. It's awesome. 

-He LOVES the exersaucer. He spins around to face where ever we are has so much fun playing with all of the toys. 

-He refuses to sit. He arches his back to push himself to standing. He is very stubborn.

-He still absolutely adores his brother.

-When he watches his brother run. he starts kicking his legs convinced he'll just take off as well.

-He blows raspberries and thinks its so funny.

-Loves when daddy comes home. Who wouldn't, daddy is SO FUN!

He is all around such a joy. He has just the sweetest spirit. I am so glad to be given the opportunity to raise him. I just pray he won't need THAT much therapy when he grows up :)

First time eating "uh dad why are you taking a picture of me, this is serious business I'M HUNGRY!"

He thinks it is so funny when you get the sugar in his neck and oh how I love to get it.

I just can't get enough of this boy.

Thanksgiving 2012

We had such a busy busy, awesome thanksgiving this year! We hosted thanksgiving brunch at our house with my mom and step dad and all us kids. We had such a blast all getting together for the first time in years! It was so much fun and we had such a full house. There is honestly not a better feeling than a full house during the holidays. We also had a big Shumway family reunion that spanned a few days. So thanksgiving day we rushed off to a lunch with them. We had such a great time just talking and catching up. Kaulana's favorite part of thanksgiving is always the turkey leg. Hence Kala's crying face when daddy tried to make him enjoy it just as much as he does. Poor kid.

It was tons of fun to share my fun kids with my super fun cousins. They like to call Benson, Bunson Burner. bahaha. We had such a blast to say to least. I am so thankful to have gotten to spend time with them during the holidays this year. As we all grow older our lives seem to get crazier and a big more spread apart. So as we grow older, I seem to want to soak in all the time with my fun family that I possibly can. I am so thankful for family. For the love and support that they give to me and my three boys. We have been so blessed this past year. 

Benson as super man! bahaha

Kala kept disappearing one night.... but he was always at the little play place in the back of my great uncle's  house.

Bowling

We went bowling with one of Kaulana's friends from school. It was Kala's first time that he ACTUALLY bowled. HE LOVED IT! He had such a blast! He thought it was so cool. and I must say he was so darn cute! I love watching his faces. They are priceless. I love this boy. He is soo much fun. and sooo hilarious. He has quite the personality!

Four Years

I can't believe the Hubs and I have been married for Four Years. Wow. It's been an incredible journey. This past year we have just been so blessed. We have had lots of trials. We have learned so much. We were blessed with a little boy. Watched our other boy grow as he became a big brother. Started physical therapy school. And enjoyed our journey a little more as we focused on the little moments. I think that, that was what we focused on this year. Was trying to enjoy the little time that we had together. Making every moment count. Time is precious in our house. And oh how much sweeter this year has been as we have taken advantage of so many more moments.

This year for our anniversary the Hubs took me on a little treasure hunt. He suprised me by taking me to Picazzo's (which might I add is my FAVORITE restaurant now. They are almost completely gluten free and it tastes INCREDIBLE!) They have these awesome meatballs! Yum!

I have been so blessed to have married the kindest man. I couldn't have asked for a better companion in raising our two beautiful boys, a better priesthood holder to lead our family righteously, or a better friend to lean on during the highs, lows and everything in between. I am so grateful for these past four years and am so excited for infinitely more.